Michelle & Barack Obama Read The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds

New York Times Best-Selling Author/Illustrator Peter H. Reynolds was beyond surprised to learn that former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama teamed up to do a live reading of his storybook The Word Collector, about a boy named Jerome who collects his favorite words.

Only days before the reading, Peter received a request from the Obamas - through his publisher Scholastic - to read the book live on social media. 

“Of course, I didn’t hesitate for an instant to agree, but I had no idea that the reading event would happen so quickly,” he shared.

In their home, on Thursday, May 14, the Obamas hosted an installment of the Chicago Public Library's online series "Live From the Library," a daily story time for children.  The reading was recorded and is still accessible on the Chicago Public Library’s Facebook page, and the Obama Foundation’s YouTube Channel.  

Adding to the honors, both Michelle and Barack tweeted out about the reading to their 132 million followers on Twitter.  Their video reading has now been viewed over 10 million times on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and reported on by major media outlets around the globe.

 Published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic,  The Word Collector, is a story about a little boy named Jerome, who loves to collect words just as other children collect stamps, shells or rocks.  The book celebrates the transformational power of words for all ages. 

Reynolds was glowing over the reading, “This book is incredibly important to me as part of my mission to get young people to understand the transformative power of words, so to have this unbelievable spotlight on this story is truly a gift.”  

Peter H. Reynolds is a best-selling author & illustrator Published in over 25 languages, Peter's books The Dot, Ish, The North Star, Going Places and Say Something, among many others, inspire children and “grown up children” with his messages about authentic learning, creativity, bravery, empathy, and courageous self-expression. For more information on Peter’s books, visit The Dot Central.